None.
The present invention relates to safety headgear for motorists. In particular the present invention relates to safety helmets with rear mounted safety lights that emit warning signals when the brakes of an associated motor vehicle are activated and when other safety conditions regarding the associated motor vehicle occur.
Operators of personal motor vehicles, such as motorcycles, have inherent safety concerns normally not associated with other vehicles. In addition to the common hazards of minimal collision protection, a danger that is becoming more common with newer motorcycles is that, even without braking, they can decelerate very rapidly, almost as fast as braking itself. Recent models of motorcycles can decelerate as much as three times as fast as a car. This presents a dangerous situation because the brakes are not used. When braking, a motorcycle""s tail brake light will illuminate to warn following traffic that the motorcycle is braking. However, if a motorcycle rapidly decelerates without braking, the brake light will not illuminate to warn others that the motorcycle is slowing down. This has resulted in collisions leading to property damage, injuries, and fatalities.
Another inherent safety concern is that the rear-mounted lights on a motorcycle are generally lower to the ground and are not always easily observed by other motor vehicles. Brake lights that are positioned higher would be more noticeable. Recognition of this problem is discussed in Reilly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,373.
Tail light burnouts on motor vehicles such as motorcycles is also a common problem. If a tail light on a motorcycle burns out while the motorist is riding, the motorist is placed in a dangerous situation and has no warning of the danger. When the motorist activates the brakes on the motorcycle, the tail light will not warn others of the braking.
Motorists are also placed in dangerous situations when they leave their vehicles at night. If a motorist pulls to the side of a road at night and leaves his or her motorcycle on the side of the road, traffic will only be able to see the lights of the motorcycle. The motorist will not be visible if he or she is too far from the lights of the motorcycle. Oncoming traffic will have little or no warning of the location of the motorist, and therefore, could accidentally hit the motorist.
A vehicle safety system used to enhance the safety of motorists, which includes a first unit attached to an associated motor vehicle and a second unit attached to the rear side of a helmet. The first unit detects when a braking system of the associated vehicle is activated and when a second safety condition regarding the associated vehicle occurs, and transmits corresponding signals. The second unit receives the signals and emits a first output signal when the braking system of the associated vehicle is activated, and a second output signal when a second safety condition regarding the associated vehicle occurs.